Holiday Romance

Celebrate the holiday season with some books that would make Santa call out "Ho-Ho-Ho!" Christina and Jordan discuss their favorite holiday romance books so far this year. From "Hallmark" vibes to books that will land you on the naughty list, there's a rec for everyone to get into the spirit of the season. 

Transcript

Intro and Quotes

Christina 0:02

Welcome to Romance Recs, where book besties explore the world of romance novels and encourage you to expand your TBR. Join us as we dive into the hottest releases and hidden gems of the genre. You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at Romance Recs Pod. Hi, I'm Recs. And I'm currently reading Barbarians Mate, which is book six of the Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon.

Jordan 0:28

Hello, I'm Jordan. And I am currently listening to Belladonna by Adeline Grace. I am also listening to The Maiden and the Unseen by Alexis Rune and Jeanette Rose. I am reading an ARC called The Cleaner by Brooke Sommer. So buckle up for some bookish banter. And, happy birthday to Christina. We're recording on her birthday today.

Christina 0:59

you.

Jordan 1:00

If she sounds a little bit wiser, a little bit more all knowing, she's leveled up once again.

Christina 1:06

I'm not a day over 22. I'm just kidding.

Jordan 1:09

We're solid millennials. We're solid in the middle there.

Christina 1:11

Yeah,

Jordan 1:12

Unfortunately we do not Yeah, it's clear! It's clear. That's why we use those filters that they have now on all those

Christina 1:19

pain

Jordan 1:21

Oh my

Christina 1:21

and I have Recsthree pillows.

Jordan 1:23

Recsthe pillows are real and you know what? I, ever since the ball, my knees still, they have not been the same.

Christina 1:32

No!

Jordan 1:35

Unfortunately, Dev is not with us again tonight. She's just, she's got a lot going on right now with, I know, a lot going on with family. Snd this is the last episode we'll have until the new year. So we're gonna take Recsa Recsmonth and a half off. To recalibrate, we're gonna come up with some new content, we're gonna get to spend some time with our families. Not that this takes all of our time away, but Recswe have lives. We have a lot going on. We are all moms, and this is holidays. Christine and I both haveRecs family birthdays, and so much happening. We are going to use that time also to be planning for next year because next year We're gonna really hit the ground running. I think once we get back and we've got big things both planned and to be plannedRecs so stick with us and Recswe'll

Christina 2:23

I

Jordan 2:23

take care of ya.

Christina 2:24

2025's gonna be our year.

Jordan 2:27

I think so too, and what a great number. Twenty five. I just love it. It's gonna be good. Recsbut today we're gonna focus on the holidays, like winter festive vibes. Recsing for, and I think we're gonna have a little bit of everything. RecsI will hoe this episode down.

Christina 2:49

Santa Claus is coming to town, you know what I'm saying?

Jordan 2:53

It's gonna be all over the place. Before we forget. Quotes. Christina, why don't you do the quote?

Christina 2:58

No stress, girl. I got you. Alright, here's my quote. This is from Megan Quinn's How My Neighbor Stole Christmas. Okay, it's kind of a long one, I'm sorry. You, Cole, are about to see an exhibition on what true Christmas spirit is all about. Meeting her intensity because I'm never one to back down from a challenge. I slip on my sash over my head as well. You have no kind of idea the Christmas spirit I possess. I cough up tinsel on the daily. Her nose crinkles. Yeah, well, I drink eggnog like it's water. I bench Santa's sleigh with Bob Krampus Recsho ing in the driver's seat. Her body grows more tense. I dream of sugar plum fairies every night. I pull candy canes out of my ears. I say, realizing this makes zero sense, but finding it more important to drive home the point. My sput smells like freshly baked cookies. Well, my hair is as coarse as the straw the reindeers eat. Recsmy, She glances around trying to think of anything that could compete. My nipples shine just as bright as the light on every house in this town. Silence falls between us. Because straw hair and twinkling nipples? Is this really what it's come down to? Yes. Yes, it has.

Jordan 4:01

What? That

Christina 4:03

an Enemies to Lovers.

Jordan 4:05

that is such a Megan Quinn quote. RecsI've read a lot of Megan Quinn. Recsnot that one yet. But, that's

Christina 4:16

It also has, it has a narrator and it's like aRecs How the Grinch Stole Christmas retelling. So it also has Recsthat rhyming of, that you have in How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It's a whole thing. And Recsthe narrator talks to the main male character and he's Recsif you don'tRecs if you don't stop it, I'm going to make yourRecs your dick fall off and stuff. It's so funny.

Jordan 4:37

God, okay, RecsI need to, I feel like I need to listen to that one. I feel like that would be fun.

Christina 4:42

That one was fun to listen to, yeah.

Jordan 4:44

Okay so I decided to just do multiple quotes from the book I'll Be Home by Tate James and Heather Long because the names in this book are, wild, okay? So I'm just going to read some of these quotes.

Christina 5:04

All rigRecss, let's hear it.

Jordan 5:06

Frost, you got run over by rain. The doctor's lips twitched with amusement. You got run over by Rain Deer. Cause that's her name. Rain. R A Y N E. And then her last name is Deer.

Christina 5:20

Oh, wow.

Jordan 5:23

um I just need you to picture this because this is not a rom com. This is a dark why choose, but it's kind of the only funny aspect about it is the, are the names and Christmas aspect. So it. It's an interesting read. Saint Nick? He chuckled, but it was dark and wicked and not even remotely humorous. Like you mean it, Rainbow. Beg Saint Nick like you mean it.

Christina 5:53

Recsh,

Jordan 5:58

Just like this whole thing. RecsSaint

Christina 6:01

Nick's fucking the reindeer?

Jordan 6:02

Santa Claus sent an elf to kill me, and whatever was going on in this town, it was even worse than I remembered. Cause they're all literal. Last one. She could have gotten frostbite. I did. I told him, almost cheerfully. Frost totally bit me. RecsIt's just, I just love it. It was so good. Recsanywho, those are all of my quotes. I actually highlighted more, but those are just my faves.

Christina 6:29

The fact that a serious, dark romance, but with those kinds of lines, cracks me up.

Jordan 6:34

Yes, I'll be talking about it later toSo don't you worry.

Christina 6:37

my gosh. gosh

Jordan 6:39

Just to preface this, during this one we talked about it, we're not going to go too heavy into Plot for most of these we're just gonna stay like here are the tropes Here's what I loved about it. And Recsif you're looking for this, you'll love it I think we're gonna stick to that this time Just because we have quite a few and we don't want this to be too long because we know that this is a special special time of year episode. So enjoy.

The Very Naughty List by Callie Rose

Christina 7:04

I'll start first. The first book I have is The Very Naughty List by Callie Rose. Recshis book takes place in Montana, where I'm from, so I loved that. Recsit's about a girl named Haley, whoRecs on the day of her wedding finds out like her fiancé is fucking her best friend behind the church. I know! So she leaves, you know, leaves Montana, goes and Recsdoes a career, in a big town somewhere far away, comes back for Christmas, right, and she's staying at Recsan Airbnb, but it's Recsyou know how like when you share an Airbnb with the owner is still there?

Jordan 7:38

Ugh, yeah.

Christina 7:39

Ugh, I know. And the owner's like a creeper, right? So her big brother's three best friends who are triplets say, Oh, you can come stay with us! Yes!

Jordan 7:50

It's even worse than twincest.

Christina 7:54

Recs staying over, vibing with the triplets. She's always had a crush on them since high school, right? But, you know, they're Whatever. um anywho, she gets a little too tipsy one night and Recstells them about her naughty list she has, which is her list of sexual experiences she's wanted to try in her life and has never accomplished. And so the triplets make it their personalRecs goal to get through her list with her. RecsOh

Jordan 8:21

Oh yeah, cause as you do when you get drunk.

Christina 8:23

Plus, they're all fake dating her to keep her from the town's rumor mill about her ex, you know? Because also her ex's parentsRecs Recsown the building her mom's and dad's diner's in. I'm like, this sounds like small town. Recsit sure

Jordan 8:35

Yeah, very convoluted. Everybody

Christina 8:38

Yeah. But I'm like, you want to keep her out of the rumor mill by saying three guys are dating her? I don't know if that's the way to go about it, but okay.

Jordan 8:46

Triplet, are they identical?

Christina 8:49

I think so. Recsah, so then it leads into Recsso the tropes are like Recshold on. I have them written down here. OkayRecs brother's best friends, wide shoes, fake dating, small town romance, and then polyamory. RecsYeah. yeah, it's really, it's interesting. The sex scenes are spicy because it includes things like, some of the things on her list were likeRecs a foursome, which I'm like, how convenient?

Jordan 9:21

Oh Funny is that Recswritten on the bottom quickly and like pencil like oh, let me add something. I forgot this one

Christina 9:29

Sex in a public place, wearing a remote control vibrator while someone else has the remote, you know?

Jordan 9:34

Perfect

Christina 9:36

being tied up. Um then other things I don't want to go into because that's not really my forte, but you know, Recsthere's just things on our list that they're helping our work through, Recswell,

Jordan 9:48

Love helpful men. Love it. Love to see that so supportive

Christina 9:52

don't know. It's like the three wise men.

Jordan 9:55

Recse three kinky triplet men. Ah, just like Jesus told about in the Bible.

Christina 10:03

just like

Jordan 10:04

the three wise men that visited Jesus. I'm never

Christina 10:07

visited her bed. All right,

Jordan 10:10

They were really there to find out who the real father was. Mary's Recssorry, I thought you all knew. We just lost some people. All right, back around.

Christina 10:19

what you got for us Jordan?

Jordan 10:21

So I'm gonna go, A little more wholesome.

Christina 10:25

Okay.

Jordan 10:26

Yeah, this is not a holiday romance by camilla eiley. This is the one that I read an arc for back in september. Recsthis is You They say enemies, but really anything contemporary that they say is enemies, I'm just RecsRecsunless you were seriously considering killing the other person, I can't really call that enemies. Recsbut Recsit's a solid rivals though, this is also a brother's best friend.

Christina 10:50

Okay Recsthe

Jordan 10:53

female main character, and Tristan is her older brother's best friend. Okay, they have literally been pranking each other since she was young when she overheard something that he said Something not kind about her when she had Recsthis big like kid crush on him And he heard him say something to his brother. And of course we learn later the context and stuff matters, still, it was really hurtful to her, and these pranks that they do are actually prettyRecs intenseRecs and they live in the same city, and they'llRecs add each other's numbers to these certain lists, and

Christina 11:35

Oh my gosh.

Jordan 11:37

I mean, The banter in this book

Christina 11:40

Oh, I

Jordan 11:41

is top notch, just top notchRecs the way that it went from enemies to lovers felt so natural and realistic. It didn't feel like one moment oh I hate him, and the next, he's just too hot to, to say no to. It wasn't like that, right? It was a natural progression because they both end up at her family's. over the holidays. He can't go to his, he can't go to his, no, he can't go to his family's, so her brother invites him to theirs. And of course, he knows their family. It is very much forced proximity. This is not a spicy book,

Christina 12:22

Oh.

Jordan 12:22

I can't believe, yeah, I mean, it's Recsthe tension is there, and it's RecsDescriptive in the beginning, but it doesn't really go if it's more like Peeking at the doorway the door is not all the way closed, but it's not all the way open Recsyou're like looking through a keyhole is the way I described this one

Christina 12:41

Bummer.

Jordan 12:42

like you get so you get some stuff you get you know, but nothing

Christina 12:46

I need that door wide open. No, I'm just kidding.

Jordan 12:48

Yeah, and you know what? I would say that too. I did not expect RecsI just read it and then all of a sudden I got to a point where I'm like, Wait, I didn't get to see everything! Recsha!

Christina 12:59

Bummer.

Jordan 12:59

stuff, but, no, it was, but it was for me to stillRecs rate it so highly and love it so much, I think, says a lot about the

Christina 13:08

Yeah, it's gotta be great. RecsRecsabsolutely,

Jordan 13:13

give it a read if you're looking for a really good contemporary,

Christina 13:17

Romance.

Jordan 13:18

Yeah, I just love it. And holiday,

Christina 13:21

A good romance. Perfect. That's great. It's like a Hallmark.

Jordan 13:26

And it's better than Hallmark. It wasn't, it didn't feel cheesy. I think that's what it was for me. I like, it didn't feel cheesy. I just loved it.

Christina 13:35

Felt natural. That's great.

Jordan 13:37

yeah. What else do you have for us?

My Favorite Holidate by Lauren Blakely

Christina 13:39

Okay, I have another one called My Favorite Holiday by Lauren Blakely. Recsthis is a contemporary holiday romance that hasRecs friends to lovers, relationship with your boss, billionaire, single dad, and trying to get back at your ex tropes. So it's got a lot of, oh, and fake dating, so it's got a lot of tropes covered in one little book. It's a lot. This is another one where you have the main male, main female character, FableRecs on her Thanksgiving dinner, finding her boyfriend cheating on her with the caterer to the dinner. Um that's also the same dinner her sister's getting engaged at. Um he is dat he's a cousin to her new fiancé, the sister's fiancé, so Recsthey're both gonna be in the wedding party, right? So she can't escape this ex who's been cheating. I know, connect the dots! So Fable and her crazy ex both have to be in the wedding party together, even though he cheated, right? Recsbut Fable doesn't want to like, tell her sister to Recsruin her sister's big day, you know? And because her sister like, gets engaged on Thanksgiving and wants to have a Christmas Eve weddingRecs can you imagine the turnaround? Yeah, it's

Jordan 14:46

People thought I was insane for a six month turnaround, but

Christina 14:50

Yeah, so this is like a 24 day turnaround. Recsso doesn't want

Jordan 14:56

the holidays, how selfish!

Christina 14:58

I know, and so they're all being invited to this billionaire's big huge, it's her boss, who's the, yeah, big billionaireRecs he's got this huge Recsski townRecs Recschalet, right, and so Recsthey're gonna have the wedding there, right? So YesRecsRecs Fable works for an NFL team. She's like a merchandiser for the team. She like makes merchandise, t shirts and stuff. She's a designer. Um the owner of the team is this billionaire who's also like a real estate tycoon. That's why he owns this chalet, right? And all this jazz, right? And his aunt keeps trying to set him up with the RecsRecswho's 100 female single list, right? And RecsOh,

Jordan 15:41

poor me!

Christina 15:43

I know. I'm a millionaire. I'm so alone. Just kidding. RecsBut he's also a single dad because he dated some supermodel from, or some Recssuper singer from England and had a baby with her. It's a whole thing. Anywho, Fable decides she can get back at her ex byRecs having a fake date. And Recsthe guy, his name NFL owner, thinks that he can get his aunt off his back if he's fake dating too. So they decide to go together to this wedding, right? And stuff's ensuing, you know, and, yeah, it's fake date a billionaire, whatever. And he like, throws gifts out the window, you know, RecsI'm like, throw me some, take some of those crumbs, you know. Recsnywho, sorry. Recso they've decided they're gonna do some fake dating, but maybe they could do some realRecs physical things in the interim to like, Get through their needs. But I'm like, that seems like counterproductive. Recslet's fake our feelings but have like real intimacy. RecsI don't know. You gotta just see if it

Jordan 16:50

trope. I have so many problems. RecsI love the trope of fake dating, especially going to a wedding. It is a classic one. But Recsin real life, just tell your family to mind their own fucking business.

Christina 17:02

I agreRecse,

Jordan 17:04

but in books, it's great. I mean, we eat it up. We love it.

Christina 17:09

I know.

Jordan 17:11

How is the

Christina 17:11

Oh my god. It's good. It's really good. There'sRecs the dedication says for anyone that's ever wanted to be fucked under our Christmas tree, this book's for you. And so the main character gets fucked under our Christmas tree. And I'm like, how sweet, right? You know, if your billionaire boyfriend's wrapping up gifts for you. I mean, pfft, under the

Jordan 17:29

well, especially if he's got like a Giant tree, if you know what I mean.

Christina 17:35

some wood in that tree.

Jordan 17:37

Put me under that tree. No. No. Okay.

Christina 17:44

Yeah, so it's just chaotic. It's a crazy little fun book, but I really enjoyed it. I really liked just the character development.

Coming for Christmas by Lizzie B. Brown

Jordan 17:52

Nice. Speaking of fun little short book, I have a novella for us. It's 132 pages. Coming for Christmas by Lizzie B. Brown. I know, and I, this is kind of like a part two. Recsshe wroteRecs with Benefits. Yeah, She wrote Friendsgiving and I absolutely loved that one. And that one was a happily ever after for now. So in the first one, Poppy and Nixon, best friends. Um they've, they're best friends who have been living together for Recsa decade, I don't know, years and years, like a long time. But they've dated other people, and when they're not dating other people, they fuck. And Recsit's, they never actually date, but they're sexually compatible,

Christina 18:42

with benefits. Got it.

Jordan 18:44

Yeah, and Recsthey're both bi,

Christina 18:48

Okay.

Jordan 18:49

which makes things, can make things really messy with their overlapping friend group and exes and RecsI mean, this is just messy. But this Spice that Lizzie writes, her Spice is probably some of my favorite I've ever read. I love it so much. But Nixon is Recsper kinky nerd bisexual who Just wants to be snuggled.

Christina 19:15

Ooh, that

Jordan 19:16

Recshe just wants snuggles and he has big feelings and Poppy's like I do this for my best friend and he said he doesn't want to be alone for the holidays So they in the first one at the end decide. Okay, we're gonna have a holiday pact Coming for Christmas is this holiday pact. And so they decide to not date anyone, but they aren't actually dating. They're pretending to date

Christina 19:37

Okay.

Jordan 19:38

through the holidays. So until new year's So they're gonna go through the holiday, right? Of course there's like feelings or not feelings from certain people Recsone RecsThey're going on a holiday bar crawl

Christina 19:53

Oh, how fun!

Jordan 19:55

in, yeah, in coming for Christmas there's this thing in their town where they get punches at RecsI think it's five different places if you order the holiday special. And so it's them going around with their friends and at each consecutive stop their friends like leave or don't make it and it's them doing stuff so Recs shere's a PDA, secret PDA, like under the table, and there'sRecs there's jealousy. One of them earns a freebie in the middle of RecsRecsfor whenever pass, they get a whenever pass. So whatever the other person says, they have to do when, no matter where, what it is. So that takes place. Like the spice is amazing. It's only 132 pages, super hot. I love these characters so much. It's messy. It's a happily ever after for now. We don't know what's going to happen later. RecsI've talked to Lizzie about it a little bit through socials and I just, I'm so nervous for them, but I love them so much.

Christina 20:55

You know, RecsRecsshort. PDA under the table is how I got a first date with my husband.

Jordan 21:01

Oh my god, Christina!

Christina 21:03

Recs e, get a drink of water, sorry.

Jordan 21:11

Excuse me. I have to process this.

Christina 21:14

saying, books can imitate real life all the time.

Jordan 21:16

Listen up, kids. If you want to land yourself a husband, just a little under the table, when his friends aren't looking, and

Christina 21:24

And it was during the Super Bowl, so Recsfootball. And a handjob. Guys can't go wrong.

Jordan 21:29

stop it. Recsid Did you have your next kidRecs nine months later? Don't answer that. Don't answer that. Just,

Christina 21:39

Okay. Anywho.

Jordan 21:40

took a weird turn. Coming for Christmas, Lizzie B. Brown. Please check it out. You do not have, I highly suggest reading, I highly suggest readingRecs Friendsgiving with Benefits first, but if you're like, no, I just, I'm here for the holiday cheer, then just do it.

Christina 21:58

That sounds like so fun. I want to read those books.

Jordan 22:00

Definitely should.

Christina 22:01

me.

Jordan 22:02

Okay. I believe they're on Kindle Unlimited. RecsOkay,

Christina 22:05

great. And we got to meet her. That was so exciting.

Jordan 22:09

I know she's so great and she's working so hardRecs on getting her books out and they're so good.

Christina 22:17

They're

Jordan 22:17

RecsI love the little indie

Christina 22:19

of us.

Jordan 22:21

What's your next one?

Christina 22:22

All right. I have one more book to recommend. It's called A Court of Sugar and Spice by Rebecca F. Kennedy. You need a Bucklin, Jordan, because let me tell you,

Jordan 22:32

stand for fucking? Fornicating?

Christina 22:34

it stands for, holy fuckRecs here we go. This book is a nutcracker retelling. It follows two sisters, Clara and Louisa, who are in theirRecs mid 20s, but they're not allowed to gain their inheritance until they marry or turn 30, because this is Victorian England, you know, but anywho, their father dies, and so they have to go into the custody of their godfather, Drosselmeyer. Right? Who's this renowned inventor, right? He's famous for theseRecs automatons and dolls he invents that do different tasks around his house. AndRecs These girls are creeped out by these things because theyRecs look like they're doingRecs human like things, Recsstop talking when they walk into the room and stuff, but he's Recsno, these are justRecs dolls. They're automatons, you know, and these girls are like, okay. Anywho, he gives them one rule. You can go anywhere in my McMansion, but you can't go to the third floor, right? Where do these

Jordan 23:29

always the third. Why is it always the third floor? It's always the

Christina 23:33

don't know. It's the rule

Jordan 23:35

another

Christina 23:35

I don't know.

Jordan 23:36

Or the basement or the third floor. That's it.

Christina 23:40

So these girlsRecs the one who is younger and isRecs unabrashedlyRecs I'm gonna do what the fuck I want, goes to the third floor. And she sees thisRecs new little doll, right? And then her Uncle Drosselmeyer tells her it's this new invention he's Recscalled, er, he's invented called a Nutcracker. And she talks about how lifelike it looks, and anywho, a piece breaks off of it, it's wood, and so sheRecs gets her fingers stuck by it, so her blood gets onto it, and POOF, he becomes a fae prince! POOF! What?

Jordan 24:12

these inanimate objects with blood and zapping life force. I tell you, you're on a roll.

Christina 24:20

Hold on, it gets chaotic, okay, from here.

Jordan 24:22

Recsoh, it's to get chaotic? Okay, I'mRecs I'm buckled in.

Christina 24:27

this fey prince wakes up and he tells them Drosselmeyer hat is like this famous fey kidnapper and all these automatons are feys he's cursed. Right? He goes and kidnaps them from the realm and then they go to hisRecs secret room on the third floor, that's, and they find, like, all these weirdRecs weaponry and stuff, and he takes them through this portal to his world, cave as fae prince.

Jordan 24:54

Wait, hold on. It, so their uncle is just, or no, they're, hold on. Recsyeah, their godfather, he's Recsjust for funsies? Just,

Christina 25:05

Recshe goes and collects Fae and then curses them to this wooden life, right?

Jordan 25:12

No, right on, yeah.

Christina 25:13

himself. Yeah. RecsOkay. The Fae Prince takes these girls,

Jordan 25:17

man.

Christina 25:19

probably, Takes them to his world through this portal in Drosselmeyer's office, okay? They get there and this fake prince is Recsyou know what? I need to reclaim my kingdom from this fucking rat king. Now, when I tell you that the rat king is disgusting and that it's clearly described how disgusting he is up into and including his dick size, Don't ask me why. But he has like rats that come out of his neck and are like stuck into him, like different parts of their body are like scurrying around him. It's so disgusting.

Jordan 25:46

Okay.

Christina 25:47

Okay, he seeks help from his cousin, who's the Sugar Plum Fairy. It's another female. Okay, here's why he's called the Sugar Plum Fairy, Jordan, in case you're wondering, why would he get such a nickname? His cum tastes like sugar plums.

Jordan 26:00

That's where I was going with it. Yes. I've read enough of this kind of smut now. I know. I am ready for it.

Christina 26:07

But the fact isRecs in their world, sugar plums like Tastes like the sweetest of anything, but it's not like any one particular taste. You can't place it down, so his cum changes taste every single time he cums. So it's not one particular taste. Like one time it's strawberries and cream, or next time it might be like shortcake or whatever have you. It's just a different, it's a different try every time.

Jordan 26:25

that's just evolutionary way that they're trying to get their dick sucked. Recsbe this time.

Christina 26:34

Take a shot on the jackpot.

Jordan 26:36

Oh, that was On the notes. Okay.

Christina 26:39

Okay.

Jordan 26:39

Recsokay. Sugar,

Christina 26:41

have to go fight.

Jordan 26:42

fairy, dick.

Christina 26:43

Yes. Yes. It's Dick, for sure. Right? They have this magic. They have to go fight the Rat King. There's like slavery and sexual assault and all this. It's so deep and dark. This is why it's a dark retelling game.

Jordan 26:55

I thought you were gonna be like, it's like

Christina 26:56

on. On,

Jordan 26:57

I thought you were gonna say fluffy things and then you're talking about these dark, horrible things and you're just like, yeah. Good holiday romance.

Christina 27:06

Jordan. Have you ever watched Once Upon a Time?

Jordan 27:11

Yeah. I loved that show.

Christina 27:13

Okay. You know how RecsAs more seasons came onRecs it got chaotic and Recsoh, the crocodile's also Peter Pan, who's his dad. It's also this and that. And you're yourself's grandfather. And

Jordan 27:23

And Recsyou like even if you wrote it down, you couldn't quite figure out the web after a while, and then you were just watching for the current drama yeah. Did.

Christina 27:31

mhm, we were all just in it for Snow White, but anywho, that's what this series is because. This is book one of four, the next one is Alice in Wonderland, then Wizard of Oz, and then the Snow Queen, and they all interconnect all these characters, and it gets so convoluted, and you're trying to keep up with who's who, and who's fucking who, and where they're fucking at. Anywho, Recsthat's my recommendation, go read The Courtyard of Sugar and Spice.

Jordan 27:58

Recsdid you read them all?

Christina 28:00

Yeah, I really liked him, but it was chaotic. It

Jordan 28:04

You're like talking about like it's insane. You're like, yeah, I really liked it,

Christina 28:07

and then Drosselmeyer comes back up, pops up here and there. It's a whole thing.

Jordan 28:11

Oh

Christina 28:11

Anywho, it's intriguing.

Jordan 28:12

Okay,

Christina 28:13

buckled in that.

Jordan 28:14

RecsIs it why choose? Is it why choose?

Christina 28:16

No, there's two, two main characters and two mainRecs male main characters. They pair off.

Jordan 28:22

Yeah, one

Christina 28:22

pair off with the, but then you have others like you have Alice that gets with Dorothy and all this and RecsYeah,

Jordan 28:29

Yeah, naturally.

Christina 28:32

Why not? Right? I don't know.

Dashing All the Way by Chelsea Curto

Jordan 28:33

Alice and Dorothy, actually, that would be a good pairing. I like that. Okay. RecsI have a few more. I have actually a few more, but I won't tell them all. I'm gonna mention Dashing All the Way. RecsI'm just gonna mention theseRecs quickly. Dashing All the WayRecs by Chelsea Curdo. This one just came out December 1st.

Christina 28:54

Ooh.

Jordan 28:55

Out to Chelsea. She's amazing. If you haven't listened to our interview with her, please go do that. Recsthis follows. Margot, who's ex boyfriend, who she dated for six months, she found cheating on her, told her, but that's not even what bothered her, but that's not even what bothered her. What bothered her most was that he once told herRecs you could never break up. a half marathon. RecsSriyav just saidRecs there's no way you could ever do that. So that inspired her. She's RecsI'm going to run this half marathon. They broke up obviously when she found out, but she, and she does it. She does the damn thing. But then she like collapses.

Christina 29:32

Oh.

Jordan 29:33

crossing the finish line, so she

Christina 29:34

2, 13 miles.

Jordan 29:35

collapses, yeah. Right, and she like, PR'd as she's doing itRecs I learned new things about running, because I don't fucking run.

Christina 29:42

know. Awww.

Jordan 29:44

RecsFinn catches her, and Recsyou get RecsBoth POVs, so when we get a POV of Finn catching her and Finn's like, how do I recognize this girl? And then she gives her name and he's Recsoh shit. This is my son's girlfriend So he is only 16 years older than his son. He had a son when he was 16 Relationship with his Ex they dated for years and they're like we're not meant to be together So he has a great relation. Yeah, he has a great relationship with his ex and with her husband and they have new kids like Recsthat's

Christina 30:21

so good to hear.

Jordan 30:22

there's no, there's none of that kind of drama. They happen to run into each other again at a bar later, and it's just really hot. RecsChelsea said this, yeah, Chelsea said this is gonna be the spiciest book she's ever written, and it, there was a lot. It's good. I don't, it's RecsAlmost erotica. I think there's still a lot of plot for 204 pages.

Christina 30:46

porn with plot.

Jordan 30:48

but it's definitely her spiciest. Recslove

Christina 30:50

that. I

Jordan 30:51

When he learned what his son did, he was very much RecsMy son is a fucking asshole, and didn't deserve you, and itRecs they're just friends with benefits. and

Christina 31:01

they don't get in like a relationship.

Jordan 31:03

Eventually they might but I don't want to give it away like the really what you see

Christina 31:10

Gotta read it to find out.

Jordan 31:11

Yeah, timeline wise, it's only two weeks. You don't get past that two weeks until the epilogue. Recs sbook. It's really good, spicy. Recshe, so he's in EMT, but he moonlights secretly as Recsa spicy audiobook narrator.

Christina 31:31

Oh my god, I love that.

Jordan 31:32

And there might be a scene in his home studio while he's narratingRecs a stalker romance.

Christina 31:39

Oh my god. Jordan's favorite.

Jordan 31:43

No, actually, I'm not in it for stalker. I do like darkRecs lights out. I loved. That got me like, oh, maybe I could do the right kind of. Stalker.

Christina 31:51

was here, it'd be for her.

I'll Be Home by Tate James & Heather Long

Jordan 31:53

Yeah, Dev, definitely. So anyways, that one was good. RecsI'll Be Home by Tate James and Heather Long, the one that I mentioned at the beginning with all those quotes. I'm not quite done with yet. It's, please check the trigger warnings on that one. That one is super dark.

Christina 32:10

Oh man.

Jordan 32:11

Like it, it covers There's a lot ofRecs past sexual assault, rape, childRecs Recschild labor, all this stuff. It involvesRecs an orphanage, and Recsit, there's a lot of heavy things in this. So please, if you're like, oh, I don't know if that'd be for me, then Recsit's probably not going to be for you. Because things are described in depth. Recsbut if you like dark romance, this one's good and it's fucking hilarious, but so dark. I did that's all I have to say about

Christina 32:45

I love it. Ooooooh.

Jordan 32:49

The last one is one I just finished. This is awesome. RecsHunted in Holly. A dark fantasy romance by Leanne Bell. I just read theRecs ARC. It came out November 1st this year, but this is the new Queen of the South Pole. Daughter of Mother Nature. So Mother Nature, her castle, and region were in the South Pole she thinks that the King of the North killed and decim killed her family and decimated her land. And that's how she became

Christina 33:22

Oh my lord.

Jordan 33:23

she has these powers. So all of these saints and minor deities, so she's technically a minor deity, the world at large doesn't know they exist, but they're there. So that's the kind of paranormal. Yeah, so that's the kind of the paranormal that we're dealing with. But she goes in there to try to infiltrate the North Pole and kill him and assassinate Nicholas Recsbut she gets caught and he like catches her. They have this like Moment! It turn so you, do you know, yeah, you know what is it called? The Most Dangerous Game, you know that story? And that premise? The Most Dangerous Game? Where this richRecs These rich people got so bored hunting,

Christina 34:05

Oh RecsRecsyeah. So they hunted humans, yeah.

Jordan 34:07

So he says, I'm gonna release you, and if you can survive and stay away from me for three days, I'll let you go. If not, you're here, you're mine, I can, and you're gonna be my wife.

Christina 34:18

Okay, he'd be fine to meme the next minute. Oh

Jordan 34:22

She's new to her powers and her role and he is not and so he like is just toying with her. It's very much a cat and mouse game.

Christina 34:30

my god, I love this.

Jordan 34:31

There is superRecs questionable consent in one scene. Fair warning. So this is, I would say this is questionable consent, not even dubious. I mean, this is Recsthere was no AnywaysRecs but it's 119 pages,

Christina 34:48

You wouldn't say short and sweet, short and dark.

Jordan 34:51

Recsprimal playRecs but he's obsessed with herRecs cause you get both

Christina 34:56

are speaking my language,

Jordan 34:59

yeah, he's

Christina 34:59

it to me.

Jordan 35:01

yeahRecs hunted in Holly, Leanne Bell.

Christina 35:04

Oh my god. I'm gonna go download that.

Jordan 35:07

So dark. I know. It is short. It's short. It's good.

Bonus Recs

Christina 35:10

Gimme, gimmeRecs Recsgimme.

Jordan 35:11

Some classics I didn't mention because I know they're on a lot of lists already, but gifting me to his best friend by Katie. Robert, such a good novella. Recsit's a husband and wife and they bring in his best friend. And there'sRecs m. In it too, so

Christina 35:30

and

Jordan 35:32

and then yeah, and then of course tangled in tinsel by trulina pucci Is on my forever holiday list. So

Christina 35:40

we have

Jordan 35:40

that was a lot

Christina 35:41

Instagram, too,

Jordan 35:43

Yeah, I added all of them in a special Recspost on our instagram and I think did you add that on tiktok? Yeah So if you want to reference those and you want even more you can go there. I know a number of the authors Commented and liked That post they're aware of it. So if you want to find the authors too, you can go through that channel So that was really great.

Christina 36:08

I hope everyone gets to enjoy some cozy time with some hot cocoa and the lights of the Christmas tree and a good

Jordan 36:15

and some hot MMC's

Christina 36:17

Yes! Hot cocoa and hotter characters.

Closing

Jordan 36:21

Hot scenes baby so good. Know a happy holidays whether you celebrate something or you don't celebrate something. Sometimes these are just like fun RecsSome enjoy Family, friends. I know this can be a hard time for a lot of people too. So if you're looking to escape, RecsPlease use some of these If you have any questions about them or you're like, what did you mean by that? Please reach out to us. You can send us fan mail directly from wherever you're listening, or you can find us on our socials

Christina 36:52

We love to

Jordan 36:53

message us there. We do. Ask us questions.

Christina 36:57

literally makes Jordan's feet kick.

Jordan 36:59

Yeah, feed, like feedback too. If you have something specific, a trope or something you really want to hear about in the new year, please let us know. We're putting together our schedule now. Regardless, we want to thank you for listening to us ramble about our holiday books. If you're looking for more romance Recs, please be sure to follow us on Instagram and TikTok. And on threads, at Romance Recs Pod, you can find our favorite book Recs from our episodes, as well as behind the scenes content. Again, that's at Romance Recs Pod, so make sure to give us a follow and we'll be back in the new year with a lot more content.

Christina 37:37

Can we? Bye guys!